1948
The following should not be taken too seriously.
One of the sometimes interesting aspects about moving back to the United States after a few years' residence abroad is the opportunity provided for a personal comparison of changes of attitudes within the States, a comparison completely subjective and devoid of all scientific approach or value. Last night was Hallowe'en here in southern Florida as it was all these United States. I guess that every kid under 14 years old from a radius of at least five miles from our typical surburban residential street called at our door during the evening in the quest for trick-or-treat handouts for candy and other confections which in their totality must have added up to an awful lot of stomach aches and concerned parents. This was probably especially the case for those kids to whom a kindly neighbor gleefully passed out chocolate-coated Ex-Lax.
What has somehow and probably most inaccurately struck me this time, in comparison with my last exposure to this old tradition some five years ago before we moved to South America, is that the youngsters who called at our door last night seemed really to be enjoying themselves. Almost all were joining in the spirit of the occasion costumes, masks, pumpkins, greasepaint, Molotov cocktails, etc. - and I saw not one example among these animated happy urchins of the cynicism (excluding one mailbox which was blown apart by a giant firecracker) which seemed to be so prevalent among even the youngest kids on the last occasion. The difference is completely in my imagination, or perhaps a product of the change in location from the last time. Still, one wonders if there isn't a sort of microcosm of our society even in this nonobjective comparison. Has the end of American presence in Vietnam, or other factors, produced some general change or relief in us in the United States, a change that has reduced the difference or increased the tolerance between us, and this in spite of Watergate and a still mightily imperfect world? A most improbable speculation of a wild-eyed nut. Still, guess anything is possible.
All of which is a long way from the subject of Dartmouth men of the Class of'48. The above is imposed on you in truth because once again I lack very much new data on you. Nevertheless, here goes with what we have.
Johnny Van Raalte reports that the small class meeting and luncheon held in Hanover on the day of the Penn game, October 13, was a very pleasant get-together attended by SamWilkinson, Dick Greene, John Hatheway, KenYoung, Lloyd Krumm, Larry Pederson, and BudElliott. Hatheway, who is a member of the Board of Supervisors or equivalent for the Hanover Inn, arranged a room in the Inn for the meeting and also a very fine buffet luncheon which the families also attended. The day was one of those beautiful days in autumn, I am told, which all of us remember from looking out over the football field into the colors of Velvet Rocks from the high stands on the west side of Memorial Field.
The conversation at the luncheon was fun for all, and a book program was agreed upon under which a memorial edition will be presented by the Class to Baker Library with an inscription for each deceased member of the Class of 1948. About $400 was budgeted for this purpose, and Dick Greene kindly agreed to take care of all. the details. The meeting was also advised that a small financial surplus accrued to the class treasury from the successful 25th Reunion this past June.
Van Raalte also sent along an interesting article from the New York Post of October 3 which contained an article about Dr. Sam Katz. Sam was quoted as stating that the recent cutbacks of federal funding of immunization programs may result in the existence of a larger amount of communicable disease among children. Sam is a pediatrician and sometime ago developed a measles vaccine while he was at Harvard. The federal funding cut he was talking about was a reduction to about $6 million in 1974/75. Good to hear of your successful work, Sam. Believe you and Keith McLoud, the latter now in San Diego, are in similar lines of medical work.
A couple of new addresses: Pentti Siiteri has moved to 38 Reed Ranch Road in Belvedere Tiburon, Calif. Reed Haviland can now be reached via Box 164 in Rowayton, Conn. JackRyan is in Box 396 in Butte, Mont.
The College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics of the Mary Fletcher Hospital of the University of Vermont in Burlington has issued a notice stating that Dr. Jerold Lucey, Professor of Pediatrics, has been appointed editor-in-chief of the official Journal of the American Academyof Pediatrics. This publication has the largest circulation of any pediatric publication in the world. Jerry will continue to-be located in Burlington and the editorial office of the magazine will move from Boston to Burlington. Congratulations, Jerry.
That does it for this month. Hope all of you have an opportunity to be in Hanover sometime during the coming year.
Secretary, Gulf Oil Co. - Latin America Box 910 Coral Gables, Fla. 33134
Treasurer, Apt. 3-H, 7300 Blvd. East North Bergen, N.J. 07047
